Fernwood Fitness' Di Williams explains the importance of overcoming obstacles and seizing opportunities

Overcoming obstacles and seizing opportunities were the key topics of conversation at the Melbourne Franchising and Business Opportunities Expo last Friday, as Fernwood Fitness founder and Managing Director Diana Williams delivered the event’s keynote presentation.

With more than 33 years owning and managing the prosperous Fernwood Fitness franchise, as well as the brand-new Fernwood Fusion franchise, Williams’ words captivated the audience.

Addressing the room, Williams (pictured) advised “if you want to succeed in business, and of course you do, you need to have a clear vision and a steady hand.

“In any business venture, there will always be obstacles to overcome. Your success rests upon your ability to focus on the big picture, maintain your revenue stream, and mitigate impacts to your bottom-line.

“The five key focus areas for anyone owning and operating a business include driving sales and revenue, staff management, exemplary customer service, financial goal setting and managing expenses. Be prepared to work hard, treat your customers like royalty and build a team with experience and enthusiasm who share the business’s core values.”

Williams, who has been at the helm of her business for over three decades, transforming a modest fitness centre for women into an Australia-wide fitness franchise empire, says the greatest advantage of purchasing a franchise is that you are not going into business by yourself.

She notes “there is a close working relationship between both the franchisor and franchisees, and franchisees with each other, with mutual respect on all sides. This encourages a free exchange of ideas and experiences.

"Our experience as a franchisor is that our franchisees look at their clubs as their own empire. The satisfaction of contributing to women’s health and wellbeing is extremely rewarding. We enjoy the strong recognition of our business at the national and local community level and in return we are fortunate to actively support a range of charities and community activities.

“You will be part of a network of likeminded independent business owners who are being assisted and supported by a team of experts to help maximise the profitability of your business. Not all franchise systems support their franchisees in the same way so it is wise to speak to other franchisees in the network to get their view of the level of support you could expect.”